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Table of Contents

Quick Start Guide

Step 1: Download & Install

Windows
macOS
Linux

Step 2: Launch & Create Your First Project
Step 3: Get Familiar with the Interface

Key Toolbar Buttons

Step 4: Add Your First Element
Step 5: Draw Wires to Connect Elements
Step 6: Add Labels & Text

Label a Wire (e.g., signal name, voltage)
Label an Element (e.g., reference number)
Add Free Text

Step 7: Save Your Work
Your First Circuit Complete! 🎉

Next Steps

Common First-Time Tasks

"How do I undo a mistake?"
"How do I zoom in/out?"
"How do I rotate an element?"
"How do I delete something?"
"How do I find a specific component?"

Getting Help
Ready to Learn More?

Quick Start Guide

Get QElectroTech running and create your first electrical diagram in 10 minutes.

Step 1: Download & Install

Windows

Visit qelectrotech.org/downloads
Download the Windows installer (.exe or .msi)
Run the installer and follow the setup wizard
Launch QElectroTech from your Start menu or desktop

macOS

Visit qelectrotech.org/downloads
Download the macOS package (.dmg)
Open the .dmg file
Drag QElectroTech to the Applications folder
Launch from Applications or Launchpad

Linux

Ubuntu/Debian:

sudo apt update
sudo apt install qelectrotech

Fedora/RHEL:

sudo dnf install qelectrotech

Arch Linux:

sudo pacman -S qelectrotech

Or use AppImage/Flatpak:

Download from qelectrotech.org/downloads

Step 2: Launch & Create Your First Project

Open QElectroTech — The application will launch with a welcome screen
Click File → New Project
Choose your project settings:
- Page Size: A4 (or A3 for larger diagrams)
- Orientation: Portrait or Landscape
- Click OK
QElectroTech opens with a blank diagram ready for work

Step 3: Get Familiar with the Interface

Your workspace has several key areas:

Left side: Drawing canvas (where you create diagrams)
Right side: Elements panel (symbols and components)
Top: Toolbar with tools (select, wire, text, etc.)
Bottom: Status bar showing cursor position and tool info

Selection tool (arrow) — Select and move elements
Wire tool (lightning bolt) — Draw connections
Text tool (A) — Add labels and text
Zoom controls — Enlarge/shrink view

Step 4: Add Your First Element

Look at the Elements panel on the right
Search for an element:
- Type "switch" in the search box, or
- Browse categories like "03_Control" or "10_Electrical"
Drag the element onto your canvas
Drag more elements to build your circuit:
- Add a power source (battery or AC symbol)
- Add a switch
- Add a lamp or load
- Arrange them roughly in a line

Tip: Right-click on an element to rotate it 90°, flip it, or access properties.

Step 5: Draw Wires to Connect Elements

Click the Wire tool in the toolbar (looks like a lightning bolt)
Click on a terminal (the small circle/dot at connection points on elements)
Move the mouse to the next element's terminal
Click again to complete the wire connection
The wire is drawn automatically between the two points

Connection Tips:

Wires connect at terminal points only (small dots on elements)
You can create multi-segment wires by clicking multiple times
Press Escape to cancel wire drawing

Step 6: Add Labels & Text

Label a Wire (e.g., signal name, voltage)

Double-click on the wire — this opens its Properties dialog (checked directly: double-click calls editProperty(), the same dialog a right-click → Properties gives you, not an inline text box)
Find the label/formula field in that dialog and type your label
Confirm the dialog

Label an Element (e.g., reference number)

Double-click on an element — same as above, this opens its Properties dialog, not an inline edit
Set the reference in the dialog's label field
Confirm the dialog

Add Free Text

Click the Text tool in the toolbar
Click on the canvas where you want text
Type your text
Click elsewhere to finish

Step 7: Save Your Work

Click File → Save (or press Ctrl+S)
Choose a location on your computer
Enter a filename (e.g., "my_first_circuit")
QElectroTech saves your project as a .qet file
Your file is saved and can be reopened anytime

Your First Circuit Complete! 🎉

You now have a basic electrical diagram showing:

✅ Elements (components)
✅ Wires (connections)
✅ Labels (identification)

Next Steps

Learn More:

Explore the User Manual for all features
See Tips & Tricks for advanced techniques
Browse Features to see what else QET can do

Create More:

Add more folios (pages) to your project via Project → New Folio
Create multi-page electrical schematics
Export to PDF, PNG, or SVG

Customize:

Change wire colors and styles (right-click wire → properties)
Adjust element properties
Use the grid and snap features for alignment

Share & Collaborate:

Export diagrams as PDF or PNG to share
Save .qet files to share with colleagues
Use version control (Git) for team projects

Common First-Time Tasks

"How do I undo a mistake?"

Press Ctrl+Z (or Cmd+Z on Mac) to undo. Repeat to undo multiple steps.

"How do I zoom in/out?"

Zoom in/out: Scroll wheel, or your platform's standard zoom keys (usually Ctrl+Plus/Ctrl+Minus — not the bare +/- keys)
Reset zoom: Press Ctrl+0 (or Cmd+0 on Mac)

"How do I rotate an element?"

Right-click the element and choose Rotate, or select it and press Space — R isn't bound to anything in the diagram editor, checked directly against the shortcut registry.